Bearpaws' 17th black bear season was a very good one. Incredible black bear numbers resulted in another 100% plus season.

Bearpaws’ 5 year averages are as follows: 154% averages success 6'4 average Nose to Tail 33% colored bears. 1.75 7' plus black bears per week. Average # of sightings per week is 8.

These numbers have been maintained due to an incredible black bear population and the efforts of the finest guiding staff in the country.

Continuously searching for remote old age class bears and maintaining 75 bait stations annually is a full time task.

Bearpaws 2003 spring black bear season produced some great memories for our clients. Bill Clous took our largest black bear of the year, a massive 7'8" 21" green score with rookie guide Jamie Langlois.

Ken faith on his 13 trip with Bearpaw put another 7'5" boar down with Roger Osmond. Pete Woeck harvested an exceptional black bear with veteran guide Chris Gilbert a 7'6" 450 Ib pope and young trophy. Pete also set the record for most sightings in a night at 27 different bears.

First time hunter Denny Bogard maintained a vigil on a great trophy and was rewarded with a 7'5 450 Ib boar with Bowen Dolhan.

Our average bear in '03 was 6'2 nose to tail and 34% were colored a total of 6 seven foot plus bears were taken and our success rate was 137%.

The only stat we don't like is that we sent 4 hunters home without bears in '03, all had multiple opportunities and others passed on the bears they saw or were unsuccessful when shots taken.